Power Sellers Unite

quicksrt · Joined: 26 Oct 2009 Posts: 401

I came into a large collection of rare CDs, many or German, UK, French, Japan imports on obscure labels, and issue that are from 1984 to 1993.

I looked up the prices on Amazon, many were not currently available, and many that were had a rock bottom price of $39.99 to $89.99.

So I took the lowest ticket items in my collection over to half.com, the ones that were a little more common, and that were priced at $4.99 to $18.88 on Amazon, and put them at half.com at $1.00 less than the lowest price currently offered on ebay or half. In other words, if the given title was offered at half for 10.99 to 59.99, I priced mine at 9.99. I constantly go back and make sure I am still the lowest by at least $1.00.

Next I took the bigger ticket items, (those that have $39.99 to $89.99 price range at amazon), and loaded them up in my own Ecrater store priced at $5 to $10 less than lowest Amazon prices, depending on how high the Amazon prices are.

Then I took those special bigger tickets just mentioned, and posted 50 titles on ebay during their recent free listing special. These titles I priced at slightly lower than my own webstore by another $1.00 discount.

So basically, I am listing these rare titles at three venues, always at the lowest prices anyone on the internet has offered this year. These are rare titles on high end labels, and truly are rare and collectible.

Yet I am not making what I consider great sales. Last 4 weeks at ebay have been really poor, about 10 CDs. half.com, 3 CDs in last 8 weeks. And my Ecrater store has had one CD sold at $10 in last 8 weeks.

Now I know CD sales are bottoming out worldwide, yet I am wondering if Amazon might be a good place for me being that 1) I can undercut everyone by 20% on the big tickets, 2) I am fine with shipping worldwide, and 3) I have a large stock of product that I do not owe anything on.

I am really thinking that ebay has become the low level bargain bin, not first choice for buyers, and half.com has become the bargain bin of the bargain bins. And my own store is too new to expect that much traffic.

I am just wondering why I had beaten all listed prices, and yet had pretty poor sales?

The one good thing is that I also do vinyl LPs, and I did do a grand or two per month on the bay for the last 3 months. So bills are paid, I'm ok. I just wonder if Amazon might be a special place with more action for CDs, especially when you beat the lowest price by $5 to $10 bucks an item.

thegolfingdolphin · Joined: 13 Jan 2009 Posts: 695

Amazon fees are the highest in the industry. If you take into consideration all their TOS it is not a very profitable site unless you are willing to pay the monthly fee. it is a bit steep, but you could try I guess.

It sounds like you are counting your eggs before they are hatched, just because you have some what you are calling rare imports does not mean they are going to sell for big money. The time frame you are talking about 80's and 90's those rare imports were in every music store in abundance, and at favorable prices.

I would suggest going to some specialty sites on your product and do some homework ans find out a bit more than a big e-commerce site can give you. Contact a few and ask some questions. I think you will find some good info, and possibly a buyer.

The other thing for you to consider is your own web-site, by which you can lead buyers to your site with these rare imports that you have. If they truly are such a rare item, this is the perfect item to have only at your web-site.

jjj525 · Joined: 08 Apr 2009 Posts: 354

If your CDs are rare don't sell them on Amazon or ebay.

List them on free sites like Ecrater , Webstore etc or your own website.

If the items are rare and priced lower than anywhere else online buyers will always find you especially through Google.

You can keep your 10-20% fees in profit or share the discount with your buyer.

quicksrt · Joined: 26 Oct 2009 Posts: 401

Amazon fees are the highest in the industry.

Half.com & ebay have pretty high fees as well, but not so many lookers anymore. 16% including pp fees. Ok, then one must ad in the listing fees for unsold items during the 7 day run, well guess what, you are about up to amazon fees at that point. Ebay fees go from .25, to .50, to .75 and the 1.00. If I toss up my rarest items listed cheaply to keep fees down, I will be giving these away, I know that. And (if I price normally, and high on high tickets) it will take 3 weeks to 60 days for buyers to buy these since they are obscure titles. Amazon will give me the 60 days, and I will get the $40 to $60 bucks I need.

It sounds like you are counting your eggs before they are hatched, just because you have some what you are calling rare imports does not mean they are going to sell for big money. The time frame you are talking about 80's and 90's those rare imports were in every music store in abundance, and at favorable prices.

No, in all honesty, these were not found in every store, they were in NYC, LA and SF, and very few other US stores, stores that carried expensive imports, not every store did. They were pricey during the big CD boom, and nitch market, being modern Classical, 20th century composers. The labels are Thortofon, Conifer, Finlandia, Unicorn, Koch-Schwan, etc. These are the nicer name brands as compared to lesser ones like Naxos, Erato & Marco-Polo which have some of the same type of things, but are the cheaper more common variety and also pressed in Germany and France. All these labels are exotic, but the ones I am calling rare had one run, and were soon gone - but the others, including Naxos, they are the cheepies 2.99 to 5.99 on every site. I know my labels after 10 weeks of research, and 40 years of collecting.

So, my so-called rare labels are only offered in the high-ticket range on Amazon, and not found at all on ebay.

[color=blue]I see sellers asking 39.99 to 130.00 for this CD that I have in Mint cond, but not new. Are all these sellers in fantasyland? I mean all except for mine at $29.99? I did that price as a test to gauge the action in this great ressession. You tell me if I am living a fantasy, or I am losing my @$$ off on that rare CD? Or will it sit there forever unsold even at my $29.99 aking price? Or should I have priced at $34.99?

I would suggest going to some specialty sites on your product and do some homework ans find out a bit more than a big e-commerce site can give you. Contact a few and ask some questions. I think you will find some good info, and possibly a buyer.

Well, I did spend 8 weeks Googleing my heart out, and found none available (except on Amazon.com). I have a feeling these were 1,000 unit runs on many titles, and spread out across the globe, and that was it.

The other thing for you to consider is your own web-site, by which you can lead buyers to your site with these rare imports that you have. If they truly are such a rare item, this is the perfect item to have only at your web-site.

And I need some money coming in until a store gets going. And I need the money now.

I have at least 1000 CDs, 6,000 LPs to sell. 40% of the CDs are the big ticket type (well over $19 asking prices at amazon). Some of my titles on Finlandia have no barcode on back (rare), and then when I look up by the composer on Amazon, they have the composer, that same label, but not my title. And the ones that they do have are 39.99 and up. So that tell me my CD is a little rare, might be a good one (of course).[/color]

quicksrt · Joined: 26 Oct 2009 Posts: 401

jjj525 wrote (View Post): › docWrite("quote")If your CDs are rare don't sell them on Amazon or ebay.

List them on free sites like Ecrater , Webstore etc or your own website.

If the items are rare and priced lower than anywhere else online buyers will always find you especially through Google.

You can keep your 10-20% fees in profit or share the discount with your buyer.

The Ecrater store I have now is new, and I will be using it to sell the bulk of the nicer rare stuff, but I need to use the bay and amazon to drive buyers over to this store, at least at first.

GreyJaguar · Joined: 12 Jul 2008 Posts: 316

I sent you a private message so click up above on 'New Messages' towards the right side.

Amazon does get you a lot of exposure and sales as long as you are competitive. Do keep in mind if you sell too many items in one day as a new user, Amazon will hold your funds for 30 days until you prove yourself.

Good luck to you.

thegolfingdolphin · Joined: 13 Jan 2009 Posts: 695

quicksrt - i just searched rare lp price guide and there are many sites and books available. This would be a great time and monetary investment for you.

Do you have your eBay setting to include international buyers? as many of your rare lps are imports, there will certainly be international buyers for them. If you are set up for international buyers on eBay you will get exposure on the European eBay pages.

quicksrt · Joined: 26 Oct 2009 Posts: 401

GreyJaguar wrote (View Post): › docWrite("quote")I sent you a private message so click up above on 'New Messages' towards the right side.

Amazon does get you a lot of exposure and sales as long as you are competitive. Do keep in mind if you sell too many items in one day as a new user, Amazon will hold your funds for 30 days until you prove yourself.

Good luck to you.

Thanks, I got your PM.

I read about the 14 day hold, and am fine with it. Since I have bought at amazon a bit over the last few years, have the store credit card and all my info is real, all merch is legit, and I don't think I will sell too many items a month nor bring in too much money in a month, I should be fine. As a matter of fact, I am keeping my sales at various sites way under control, and under "red flagged" style action.

I am stocked up with very good hard cardboard CD mailers, just drove out and picked up a few hunderd today. So at least I will be able to ship the same day sale happens, or next day at worst (if any sale happens). I have many years of this under my belt, but I have a new batch of music merch, and it is all mostly big ticket, rare, obscure, niche market, and slow to sell, but better than common junk.

quicksrt · Joined: 26 Oct 2009 Posts: 401

thegolfingdolphin wrote (View Post): › docWrite("quote")quicksrt - i just searched rare lp price guide and there are many sites and books available. This would be a great time and monetary investment for you.

Do you have your eBay setting to include international buyers? as many of your rare lps are imports, there will certainly be international buyers for them. If you are set up for international buyers on eBay you will get exposure on the European eBay pages.

Yes, 80% of my stuff goes to Japan, Germany, and France, and just in last 8 weeks, Hong Kong and China. Hong Kong and China is new to me, but I have sent six packages there in last 2 months.

I do tons of International, and I like it because I can combine shipping saving buyer some money, and also mark up shipping $2.00 to 3.25 and recoup some expenses easier than a single US sale. Combined shipping, and Interntaional is where buyer saves, and I recoup some costs. So what if I have to fill out all the custons forms, lost packages have not been a problem as of yet - knock on wood.

GreyJaguar · Joined: 12 Jul 2008 Posts: 316

One other thing I forgot to mention, is try to use the same User Name/Company on all the different sites you list your items. You's be surprised how many people will look you up and Google Search can bring up your other listing sites.

And thegolfingdolphin is correct up setting Ebay to International sales---many English speaking people live all over the world. And what about Bonanzle. I believe they like that specialty niche over there and you can import your Ebay items over to their site.